1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of personal safety devices including the ability to provide protection in hostile environments. Specifically, the helmet of the invention includes a selectively actuated filter system, wherein the weight or bulk of the system is located at the rear of the wearer""s head.
2. Background
Since the advent of chemical and biological weapons during the early part of the twentieth century, various safety devices have been developed to ensure the protection of a user by filtering out harmful materials from the ambient air before being inhaled by the user. These safety devices generally include a mask to be worn over the face of the user and a complex system of hoses, tubes and filters. When protection is necessary, the user dons the device, often including multiple involved steps, learned through extended training.
More recently, such conventional protection devices have been combined with helmets and other impact protection devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,993 and No. 4,266,301, both of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties, disclose combinations of helmets with these conventional gas masks.
While newer devices have integrated the filtering systems into the helmets, thus eliminating the need for complex hoses, the often bulky or heavy filtering systems are generally positioned in locations generating unnatural forces affecting the center of gravity and forcing the user to compensate. For example, the filtering system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,500, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, extends from the front of the helmet to the uppermost section, but such a placement nevertheless does not offset the awkward center of gravity.
In order to mitigate problems related to center of gravity and comfort of a user, the filtering system of the chemical/biological helmet of the invention has been moved to the back section of the helmet. Thus, the weight associated with the filter and/or blower are placed farther to the rear of the helmet, such that the center of gravity is positioned over the shoulders of the user, instead of in front of the user""s body. By integrating the filter into the structure of the helmet, the need for a body mounted filter and bulky hoses, as in many conventional systems, is eliminated.
Because much of the facial bulk is removed, the included lens or visor system can be expanded to improve visual field of view. Since the mask and hood are not under the helmet, helmet comfort and sealing of optional ear cups are not degraded. Additionally, helmet displays can be head mounted and worn under the helmet visor for improved protection, compatibility and stability.
The helmet of the invention is modular. In other words, it can be worn with or without chemical/biological protection. The visor can be rotated down to rapidly seal off the interior of the helmet from the environment, and optionally automatically activate any blowers associated with the filters. Chemical/biological filters are embedded into the back of the helmet system, and exhaled air is passed though vents in the front of the helmet. The helmet may additionally contain a neck collar and seal for protection of the face and eyes of the wearer.
The helmet of the invention may also contain other components. For example, optional helmet devices include a nosecup assembly, a communications assembly, impact liners, a suspension assembly and a helmet stabilization device. Additionally, the helmet may include a positive pressure or circulating filter blower system, a heads-up display system (for example, internal to the visor), spectacles, radio, and embedded or modular sensor devices such as image intensifiers.